Dive into quantum superposition, where qubits exist in a blend of states—like a coin both heads and tails. See how measurement picks one outcome.
Start Interactive LessonDive into quantum superposition, where qubits exist in a blend of states—like a coin both heads and tails. See how measurement picks one outcome.
Start Interactive LessonLearn how quantum key distribution creates secure keys using quantum tricks. Watch Alice and Bob outsmart eavesdroppers with entanglement.
Launch Security SimulatorExplore quantum memory, which holds quantum states like a qubit's superposition. Try storing and retrieving a qubit, and face the challenge of decoherence.
Start Memory ChallengeDiscover quantum repeaters, which stretch quantum links over vast distances. Connect Alice and Bob by swapping entanglement through nodes.
Start Connection LabExperience quantum teleportation networks, zapping quantum states across nodes. Teleport a qubit from Alice to Bob, tackling noise along the way.
Start Teleportation DemoExplore federal funding opportunities
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Quantum Superposition | A particle can exist in multiple states at once until measured, like a spinning coin being both heads and tails. |
| Qubit | A quantum bit that can be both 0 and 1 at once due to superposition, serving as the basic unit of quantum information. |
| Entanglement | Two particles linked so one’s state instantly affects the other, regardless of distance, a key resource in quantum computing. |
| Measurement | Observing a quantum system forces it to pick one state, collapsing its wavefunction from a superposition to a definite outcome. |
| Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) | Securely sharing cryptographic keys using quantum mechanics, ensuring eavesdroppers are detected. |
| BB84 Protocol | A QKD method using polarized photons to securely share keys, detecting eavesdropping through quantum uncertainty. |
| Eavesdropping | Unauthorized interception of quantum communication, detectable in QKD due to the no-cloning theorem. |
| Quantum Memory | Devices that store quantum information, preserving superposition and entanglement for later retrieval. |
| Decoherence | The loss of quantum properties due to interaction with the environment, a major challenge in quantum computing. |
| Entanglement Swapping | Creating entanglement between two distant particles by using a third entangled pair as an intermediary. |
| Quantum Teleportation | Transferring a quantum state from one location to another using entanglement and classical communication. |
| Bell States | Four special entangled states of two qubits, used in quantum teleportation and other protocols. |
| Classical Communication | Transmitting information using classical bits (0s and 1s), often paired with quantum protocols. |
| Wavefunction | A mathematical function describing the quantum state of a system, encoding probabilities of measurement outcomes. |
| Quantum Gate | Basic operations in quantum computing that manipulate qubits, analogous to classical logic gates (e.g., Hadamard, CNOT). |
| No-Cloning Theorem | A principle stating that quantum states cannot be perfectly copied, ensuring security in quantum cryptography. |
| Quantum Circuit | A sequence of quantum gates applied to qubits to perform a computation, similar to a classical circuit. |
| Superconducting Qubits | Qubits made from superconducting circuits, widely used in quantum computers due to their scalability. |
| Quantum Annealing | A quantum computing method for solving optimization problems by finding the global minimum of a system’s energy. |
| Topological Qubits | Qubits based on anyons, theorized to be more resistant to decoherence, used in fault-tolerant quantum computing. |
| Quantum Error Correction | Techniques to protect quantum information from errors due to decoherence and noise, essential for scalable quantum computing. |
| Quantum Supremacy | The point at which a quantum computer can perform a task infeasible for classical computers, also called quantum advantage. |
| Photon | A particle of light used in quantum communication and computing, often as a carrier of quantum information. |
| Quantum Cryptography | Using quantum mechanics to secure communication, including protocols like QKD for unbreakable encryption. |
| Fidelity | A measure of how well a quantum state is preserved during operations or transmission, critical in teleportation. |
| Quantum Network | A system of interconnected quantum devices that share quantum information, enabling distributed quantum computing. |
| Hadamard Gate | A quantum gate that creates superposition by transforming a qubit into an equal mix of 0 and 1. |
| Bloch Sphere | A geometric representation of a qubit’s state, used to visualize quantum states in terms of angles. |
| Quantum Interference | The phenomenon where quantum states combine to amplify or cancel each other, used in quantum algorithms. |
| Shor’s Algorithm | A quantum algorithm for factoring large numbers exponentially faster than classical methods, threatening RSA encryption. |
| Grover’s Algorithm | A quantum algorithm for searching unsorted databases quadratically faster than classical algorithms. |
| Quantum Fourier Transform | A quantum version of the Fourier transform, a key component in algorithms like Shor’s for periodicity finding. |